


Around We Go: Or Tsukishima Kei Needs Help Getting His Shit Together

by artFULLYoutuvIT



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Blow Jobs, Facials, Hand Jobs, Lovers to Friends, Multi, Praise Kink, boys not knowing how to talk about their feelings, stupid teenage boys being stupid, these tags are embarrassing christ
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2016-06-23
Packaged: 2018-07-16 21:46:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7285894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artFULLYoutuvIT/pseuds/artFULLYoutuvIT
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The road to love is paved with sex with someone you used to hate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Around We Go: Or Tsukishima Kei Needs Help Getting His Shit Together

**Author's Note:**

> Well...this happened. If you're a hardcore, endgame KageTsuki shipper I warn you this may not be for you. If you're willing to give this mess a chance, you have my thanks.

Kei didn’t expect it to turn out like this. He and Kageyama fight all the time, after all; it’s nothing new. Though as they got older it was more out of habit than anything. The two second-years had been left behind to lock up after practice, the third years coming to practice less frequently after the Spring Tournament. Maybe they were both still sore about losing in the first round of Nationals, or maybe Kageyama had snapped at Yamaguchi one too many times for his liking, but for whatever reason one second they were slamming their bags down, angry words ringing in their ears, and the next they had their tongues halfway down each other’s throats.

“Shit,” Kageyama grunts, hands gripping Kei’s triceps as he steps forward to press him against the wall. His lips are warm and slightly chapped against his own, parted slightly to let Kei dip his tongue in for a taste. If he’s being honest with himself, he doesn't really know what he’s doing. His glasses are crammed onto the bridge of his nose and his hands are just sitting on the shorter boy’s shoulders. But it’s clear Kageyama doesn’t know what to do either, so he’s probably safe from ridicule.

Kei shifts, feeling his back pressed against the clubroom wall as he reaches up to get a fistful of Kageyama’s hair, tugging him back enough that he tilts his head and eases up off Kei’s glasses. He opens his eyes— _when did I shut them? —_ to gaze first at Kageyama’s scrunched up face, then pan his sight down to see a very obvious bulge in his volleyball shorts. Kei grins and presses the heel of his free hand down over it, smirking as Kageyama lets out a groan and breaks the kiss.

“Wow, what a perverted King you are, Kageyama-san.”

The dark-haired boy flushes in humiliation, and Kei savors it for a moment before bringing one of Kageyama’s hands down to his own growing erection. “Well, I guess we’re both pretty nasty.” He pulls him into a kiss again, sliding his hand along the other boy’s waistband before diving in and pulling out his cock.

“Ts-tsukishima—ah, fuck,” Kageyama breaks the kiss again to pant against his neck as Kei runs a thumb over the head of his erection, spreading around the precome already collecting there. This, at least, he knows he’s good at: he’s done it to himself often enough.

For a while the soft grunts and sighs are the only sounds, apart from the slide of skin on skin as Kei and Kageyama press together. He adjusts his grip to twist sharply on the upstroke, grinning smugly as Kageyama groans again, even louder this time.

“Sh-shut up,” he huffs, grinding up into Kei’s touch in an unconscious plea for more.

“I didn’t say anything,” Kei pressing his own now neglected erection against Kageyama’s and his own hand in a pointed reminder. Instead of taking the hint, Kageyama reaches behind Kei to get a handful of his ass, grinding them even closer together. They both ignore how loud the other moans in favor of savoring the sensation. Kei shoves a leg between Kageyama’s, shoving his own shorts down and getting the both of them in his hand and _wow this should not feel this good._

Kageyama buries his nose in the juncture between Kei’s neck and shoulder, biting down harshly over his T-shirt and palming shamelessly at his ass. Kei grunts as the pain mixes with his pleasure, cock pulsing and dribbling precome over the both of them. A couple more twists of his hand tips them both over the edge: Kageyama spilling over his hand first with a cry, and the added slick sends Kei quickly falling over the edge after.

After a few breaths, Kei eyes the mess all over his hand. Not really pausing to think, he wipes it on Kageyama’s shirt, absolutely _not noticing_ the firm tone of other boy’s stomach or how Kageyama seems to shiver the slightest bit before glaring sharply at the taller boy.

“Did you seriously wipe that all over my shirt?”

“Tch, I did all the work, it was the least you could do.”

“Bastard.”

“Tyrant.”

Kageyama looks away. Kei knows the nicknames don’t elicit quite the response that they used to, but it still seems to be a bit of a sore spot. He sighs quietly, “well, whatever. Let’s get outta here. We told everyone we’d lock up after all.” Kei locates the keys he’d tossed on the floor in his earlier haste. Tucking himself back into his shorts— _damn I still have to change—_ he picks them up and flings them at Kageyama. _Screw changing, it’s warm enough outside._

Kei tells himself he’s not running away as he grabs his bag and heads for the door. He forces himself to look back at Kageyama. The idiot’s leaning against the wall Kei recently vacated, having at least tried to clean himself up a bit. Actually, he looks a bit small and vulnerable, and Kei feels his urge to flee wane just a little.

“Don’t look so miserable. I just got you off, you know.”

Kageyama snaps his head up to meet his gaze. “I’m not miserable. And I got you off too, so…”

“Yeah, yeah, thanks. You waiting for a confession?”

Kageyama has the gall to look disgusted. “Gross.”

“Rude. Well then I’ll be going ahead.” And with that, Kei takes his leave.

_Whatever, this’ll never happen again anyway…_

 

* * *

 

 “Don’t coddle me.” Kei’s breath comes in quick pants as he bears down on the finger only just inside of him. He’s done this a few times himself, enough times to know he can take more than this anyway, and he definitely doesn’t want to be treated delicately by Kageyama, of all people.

Despite Kei’s expectations, things had escalated significantly since that first rapid fumble in the clubroom a few months back. At this point the slightest look or disagreement could set them off. The minute they were alone in the clubroom at the end of practice clothes were torn off, both boys usually already half hard. He blessed his new status as captain for ensuring he was always the last one to leave. Kei had stashed lube in his bag on the off chance they might get to this particular activity, and now that they had he doesn’t feel like wasting time.

Kageyama finally eases his finger all the way in and Kei immediately rocks into the slow thrusting motions, palming himself lightly like he usually does when he’s alone. It’s nice on his knees like this, straddling Kageyama’s chest and eyeing the dark haired boy splayed out on the floor underneath him. He thinks about coming all over the boy’s face, absent of its usual scowl in the wake of his intense concentration. Kei shudders at the thought, hole clenching around Kageyama’s finger.

“Another.”

“What?”

“Another finger, come on.” Kageyama actually looks a little hesitant, but dutifully adds his middle finger.

Kei hums in pleasure at the stretch, but he knows it can get better. “Curl your fingers.”

Kageyama seems too caught up to balk at taking orders, immediately curling and straightening his fingers. Maybe he actually knows something about this, because it's the work of moments for him to find Kei’s prostate, fingers just grazing the sweet spot.

“Shit,” Kei breathes, stroking himself in earnest now, “again, just to the left.” Kei moans as Kageyama hits it dead on. It’s so different when it’s someone else’s fingers: he doesn’t know what’s going to happen next, can’t control it the way he can when he’s doing it to himself. _Although,_ he smirks, _seems I can actually control him pretty well._

“More,” he demands, and as Kageyama complies—thrusting his fingers in and out rapidly—he breathes, unthinkingly, “good boy.”

Kageyama, already flushed from their activities, grows unbelievably redder, turning his face away as though he can hide his reaction. Kei stares. He notices, belatedly, that while he had put all of his attention on the long, clever fingers inside of him, Kageyama’s other hand is shoved down his own pants, working furiously over his hard on. Kei smirks.

“Mmm,” he rocks back on Kageyama’s fingers again, playing up his sounds just a bit. “That’s it, add another finger.” Kei’s free hand that isn’t still stroking his dick grabs Kageyama’s cheek, turning his face and forcing him to look at him. When Kageyama adds the third finger, Kei moans and leans forward to whisper, “good job. Keep it up.”

Kageyama bucks under him, one hand thrusting fingers into Kei with intent, the other still frantically moving in his pants. Kei’s breath hitches as Kageyama skates over his prostate again. He knows he’s close to coming, but feels he at least owes it to the other boy to ask permission before acting on his earlier fantasy.

“Kageyama,” blue eyes find his, cloudy with arousal, “I want to come on your face, can I?”

Kageyama moans, barely managing a nod, hips shifting faster. Kei picks up the pace of his hand again, closing his eyes and focusing on Kageyama’s fingers filling him, stretching and thrusting and hitting his prostate again and again. He forces his eyes open as he cries out, thrusting into his hand and painting Kageyama’s neck and face with his come. He groans at the sight, orgasm still wracking through him. Kageyama looks wrecked: red-faced with his eyes shut; splatters of come in the fringe of his hair, on his cheeks, his lips.

Kei wipes a few drops away from his eyes, sliding himself back off the boy’s fingers to rock his ass against Kageyama’s crotch. “Good boy, Kageyama. You did very well.” Kageyama groans in relief, slipping his hand out of his pants and shoving them down just far enough to free his leaking hard on, rubbing it frantically against Kei’s ass, grabbing at him with his hands, one wet with his own slick and the other with lube from when it was just inside of Kei.

Figuring he might as well see this through all the way, Kei grinds back against Kageyama’s dick and hands, grinning, enjoying the teasing slide of Kageyama’s cock back and forth over his entrance. “Such a good job, Kageyama-kun. You did exactly what I wanted. Come now, go on, it’s ok.” A few tears leak out of Kageyama’s eyes as he comes on Kei’s ass with a choked off cry. They stay there just catching their breath for a few quiet minutes, Kei sitting on Kageyama’s stomach to relieve his thighs. He almost can’t believe the words that came out of his mouth, how much Kageyama had loved them, how eager he’d been to please Kei and be praised by him. _I could get used to this._

He pushes his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, chuckling. “Well I learned something new today.” Kageyama shoves him off his lap and onto the floor.

 

* * *

 

 

Kei rubs at his eyes, willing the events unfolding in front of him to clear away. _This is fine. It’s not really happening, it’s just the world’s worst mirage._ But no, as Kei readjusts his sports glasses it’s clear to see that the vice-captain of their team—one Hinata Shouyou, is flirting _horribly_ with their manager—one Yachi Hitoka.

He sees Hinata make a finger gun and feels a strong urge to bury his face in his hands. Literally everyone in the gym is watching the train wreck. It’s the middle of practice for the love of god. Coach Ukai has tucked his face behind Takeda-sensei, but his shaking shoulders give away his laughter. The teacher actually looks like he’s rooting for Hinata, though. Yamaguchi is practically choking beside him trying not to crack, and the scattered first and second years look on in varying states of amusement and embarrassment. But the shining star of the moment is Kageyama. The poor idiot can’t even hide how upset he is: hands clutching a volleyball so hard Kei wonders if it might actually pop.

Kageyama’s crush is the world’s worst secret, in that literally everyone except Hinata knows about it. Kei wishes he could just mercilessly tease the setter about it but, well, he purposefully doesn’t think about horrible bed head and gold eyes and keeps his thoughts to himself.

“Oi, Hinata,” he calls out, in a rare moment of pity, “you think you have time to chit chat after that last block? Get over here; we’re trying that set up again.” He turns his back, ignoring the predictable _“What’d you say, Tsukishima?!”_ in favor of placing his water bottle down and heading back onto the court.

The damage, however, has been done. Setting and spiking drills with the weird duo are such a disaster Kei swears he’s gone back in time. Hinata clearly has no idea what he’s done; only that he has once again incurred the wrath of his best friend. Yachi tries to offer support from the sidelines, unwittingly adding fuel to the fire. A first year takes one of Kageyama’s serves to the face. Kei just wants practice to be over.

 

* * *

 

They try something new, that evening. Kei accompanies Kageyama home in silence; follows him into an equally silent house and a too clean bedroom. Kageyama is practically shaking as Kei approaches. His eyes are screwed shut as Kei cups his face with his right hand. He makes a soft sound that sounds like held back tears as Kei kisses him: just a brush of contact to start, then a firm press of lips as he tilts his head. Kageyama clings to him like a lifeline as Kei kisses his top lip, his bottom one, licks questioningly at the seam where they meet. Kageyama pants harshly as he grants the taller boy access, responding finally with motions of his own. Their tongues meet and clash, but Kei takes control before it gets too out of hand. He sucks at Kageyama’s tongue; bites gently at his bottom lip, drawing it into his mouth and letting it go with a wet sound. With the hand not on his cheek he presses against the small of Kageyama’s back, bringing their bodies into what might be considered a hug if they were anybody else.

“Tsukishima…”

“You don’t have to say anything.” Kei moves them to the bed and lays out on top of the dark haired boy, pressing open-mouthed kisses to his neck.

“Tsukishima.” Kei slides Kageyama’s shirt up and off, inching down his chest to kiss one erect nipple, thumb rubbing the other.

“Tsukishima, Tsukishima,” Kageyama said his name over and over—a mantra, or a plea, Kei wasn’t sure.

“Shh,” he says in reply, kissing his stomach. Kei skims his fingertips just under the waistband of Kageyama’s pants, reveling in the shiver he elicits.

“Tsukishima, _please._ ”

Kei complies, shucking his pants and putting his mouth right where he wants it. He licks and sucks and kisses, nails scraping Kageyama’s inner thighs. He watches the other boy’s face as he sucks him down, watches him fling an arm up to cover his face as he comes. Kei swallows it all, and if he sees a few tears trail down Kageyama’s cheeks, well, he doesn’t have to say anything.

It’s when Kei’s getting ready to go home that Kageyama finally says something.

“Oi, Tsukishima. It’s not that—I mean, we’re…but Hinata,” he seems to brace himself, “Hinata’s the one I like.”

Kei stares at him. “I know.”

“Right, because I just told you.”

_Don’t laugh, don't laugh…_ “No, I know. I’ve known forever. _Literally_ everyone knows except that stupid ginger.”

Kageyama looks alarmed, but recovers quickly enough. “Well, then, you know—about us—I’m sorry.” The apology is almost silent, mumbled into his shoulder as he stands there. Kei comes to a horrifying realization: _this asshole is trying to apologize for not having a crush on me._

“ _No_. No no, don't misunderstand. I don't like you either. This is just a good way to get off. Anyway, I—” Kei cuts himself off before he reveals too much. Just because that idiot was so honest for once, doesn’t mean Kei has to get infected with it.

Kageyama looks like he’s thinking hard. It’s not his best look. “You like someone.”

Kei whirls around and makes for the door. “I’ll see you later.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Yo, Tsukki!” Kuroo Tetsurou’s face lights up Kei’s computer screen, and Kei feels the tension in his shoulders seep away automatically. He ignores the urge he has to press his fingers to the screen in favor of verbal, non-creepy communication.

“Don't call me that.”

“Sure, Tsukki. How’s the team? Do you love being captain, yet?”

“Can’t complain. Except, oh wait, of _course_ I can. The first and second years’ receives are crap, and they keep idolizing my idiotic vice-captain whose primary function off the court these days has been to suck face with his girlfriend.”

“Is that jealousy I hear? Wanting a girlfriend of your own to suck face with?” Kuroo wiggles his eyebrows and Kei can’t decide if he wants to laugh or cry.

“Not quite,” he supplies vaguely. Kuroo looks at him for a moment, sort of like he’s sizing him up, but ultimately lets it lie.

“Anyway, I was out with Bokuto and he bet me a six-pack that I couldn't pick up this one girl…” Kei groans inwardly. _Please not again._ Kuroo has developed the horrendous habit of detailing his heterosexual exploits for Kei’s listening pleasure, and it takes every ounce of his willpower not to throw up. _You failed. Tell me you completely bombed at asking this girl out. There was no kissing._

“…and by that point we were kissing outside my door when I notice, get this straight, a _tongue piercing._ ” Kei is treated to another eyebrow waggle.

He dredges up a smirk. “Wow, I didn't know you and Bokuto-san had gone that far yet.”

“Hah hah, very clever Tsukki. You know I would never do that to Akaashi.”

“What, give him a night off?” Kuroo chokes on a laugh, and Kei finds himself smiling involuntarily, pleased to have been the source of his glee.

Kuroo’s laugh cuts off as he stares at the screen. “Whoa…”

Kei stops grinning. “What?”

Kuroo scratches at the back of his neck. “Ah, it’s nothing. Don't worry about it.”

 

* * *

    

Kei manages to keep his face neutral in the wake of Kageyama’s frustrated tears, despite the tug of empathy twisting his gut. He knows the feeling well: the humiliating pining, the burning desire for that particular person’s attention but being unable to just speak up and _ask…_ Kei pictures gravity defying hair and sanity defying smirks and selflessly given help and, well, yeah, he gets it. It’s pathetic, really, that this sad situation has remained the status quo for a little over half a year now.

Kageyama snuffles miserably, wiping at his eyes as though angry that they could do something so absurd as produce saline solution. Kei sighs, clasping his fingers together in front of him so he doesn’t do something stupid like almost hug Kageyama again. He likes his face the way it is, thanks very much.

“Was it really that horrible?”

Kageyama glares at him. “They were holding hands right next to me, and kissing.”

Kei winces. Hinata and Yachi’s brand new relationship was—if not a surprise—certainly no secret to the team: vice-captain and manager both being comically bad at subtlety. It was less funny this time though, watching them unwittingly trample on Kageyama’s hope that one day Hinata might just wake up and like him back.

“Well at least you didn’t kill him.”

Kageyama gets it together enough to shove him into the wall, fists wrinkling Kei’s shirt in anger and grief. “What the hell do you know, you bastard?”

Kei shoves him back, calm façade breaking. “What the hell do I know? Only what it’s like to watch the person you like ignore you in favor of every willing college girl in Tokyo, only to tell you about the dates in _excruciating detail._ What the hell do I know? You don’t know anything, you arrogant king!”

“ _Don’t call me that!”_ Kageyama slams his lips into Kei’s, opening them with his tongue and biting viciously at his bottom lip. Kei can’t help but return the kiss, seizing a handful of Kageyama’s hair to spin him so their positions are reversed, with the dark haired boy pressed against the wall and panting as Kei sucks at his neck.

“Shit, you’ll leave a mark.”

“Let me. Let him see that people can want you, yeah?”

Kageyama’s breath hitches again. “Please, just—” he fumbles with Kei’s uniform pants, shucking them and his boxers down in one tug. “I don’t wanna think about him.” He sinks to his knees, gaze lifting to Kei’s, silently asking for permission.

Kageyama presses his face into Kei’s palm, face flushing. “You could call me Kuroo-san, if you wanted.”

Kei feels something ugly and tender break inside him. It’s not like he hadn’t noticed the similar hair color, and he knows he doesn’t mean it like that, but Kei’s burning to answer the challenge.

“Kuroo-san,” he takes his stiff cock in hand, guiding it to Kageyama’s waiting mouth, “Tetsurou, God let me…” Kei closes his eyes and lets himself pretend.

 

* * *

 

Kei’s surprised it took someone this long to walk in on them, to be honest. They’ve never been overly cautious, after all, but there’s still such an absurdity to Hinata walking in on him riding Kageyama that Kei almost thinks there’s a god somewhere laughing at him.

He’d been so close too, hand wrapped loosely around Kageyama’s throat and mouth whispering filthy praises in his ear while Kageyama pounded up into him and stroked his cock in time with his thrusts.

“Geh! Are you guys fighting? I thought you guys got along better now!”

Kei raises a stunned eyebrow. _Is this idiot serious?_ He realizes that he and Kageyama had indeed left their clothes on in their rush to get off, only pushing them aside enough for access to the good bits, and Kei did have a hand on Kageyama’s throat… _I’m going to murder Hinata. Screw Kageyama’s feelings I’m killing him and burying the body where no one will find it._ Unfortunately, before Kei had time to enact his brilliant plan Kageyama piped up to clarify the miserable situation.

“Dumbass! We were fucking!”

“Fu-hah? So vulgar, Kageyama-kun…” But as Hinata really looked at the scenario before him his face and neck flushed a truly impressive shade of pink. Kei watched in frozen horror as Hinata’s gaze narrowed in on where they were still joined, though rapidly losing the ability to be so in the wake of this development and, good god, actually tilted his head to the side like he did when he was trying to absorb new information about volleyball.

“But…you’re both guys?” The idiot didn’t even sound upset, just earnestly confused, but Kei had had it. Seizing the closest object, which was of course, a volleyball, he lobbed it at the ginger’s face.

“Oh my god, _get out!”_

* * *

 

“Hello.”

“Kenma! I need to ask you something!”

Kenma sighed softly. He’d deny anyone who accused him of enjoying the times he spoke to Shouyou, but there was no one around to laugh at the small smile that bloomed on his face.

“What is it, Shouyou?”

“Can two guys have sex? How would that even work? Does it hurt?”

Kenma looked at his phone in the hope that it would drop the call without him having to do anything. It betrayed him, as usual. “Shouyou, that’s a lot of questions. Why do you want to know, anyway?”

“Well I had to run back to the clubroom after practice because I thought I left my knee pads there, but then it turns out that they were in my bag the whole time—”

“Get to the point, Shouyou.”

 

* * *

 

“Whoa! Tsukki, that's a nice love bite you got there!”

Kuroo Tetsurou’s horrible donkey laugh should not cause a wave of affection in Kei’s bitter heart, but it seems it’s his lot in life to suffer through Skype calls with his once helpful senpai and long time unrequited crush, so he lets it wash over him and silently hates his life a little bit.

“Trust me, there was no love involved.”

“Tsukki!” Kuroo clutches at his heart like a scandalized housewife. “You shouldn’t play with a girl’s heart like that.” He’s smiling as he says it though, so Kei feels safe shooting him a smug grin.

“It wasn’t a girl though.”

Kei startles, because that absolutely was _not_ his voice, when Kuroo turns around and Kei sees Kozume curled up on a dorm bed in the background.

“What are you saying, Kenma?”

“Kei is sleeping with Tobio.” Kozume doesn’t even look up from his PSP as he drops this bomb into Kei and Kuroo’s lives, and Kei has to hand it to him, the guy really knows how to deliver news.

“Wha-bu-?” Kuroo does a strange dance wherein he swivels his entire body between Kenma on the bed behind him and Kei’s face on his computer, as though he can’t decide whom to address first. Kei puts him out of his misery.

“Thank you, Kozume-san.”

Kozume looks up for the first time to make startling eye contact with Kei. “You never said it was a secret.” _This devious bastard,_ Kei thinks wonderingly.

“That’s because I didn’t tell you anything about it.”

“Ah, that’s right. Shouyou told me, after he walked in on you two in the clubroom. He said he thought you were fighting.”

Kuroo, who had been watching Kei’s systematic destruction like a captivating tennis match, choked at this particular piece of information.

“Fighting? What the hell were you doing? And in the clubroom?”

Kei stared at him in disbelief, anger quickly swooping in to try and save him from his humiliation. “Do I really have to explain how sex works? Or is it just me taking it up the ass that confuses you?”

Kuroo flushes. Kei wonders how far down the blush extends and hates himself.

“Don’t worry Kei, Kuro’s gay too. He understands.”

It’s Kei’s turn to be stunned into surprise, because, “ _what?_ No he isn’t! This idiot never shuts up about his dates, his _female_ dates!”

Kenma doesn't even spare a glance for Kuroo. “Oh, Kuro, why would you lie like that?”

_I’ve had it wrong this whole time,_ Kei thinks, _Kuroo’s not the devious one. It’s all Kozume. He’s actually been evil the entire time and I missed it._

Kuroo looks like he’s having similar thoughts, though without the sense of surprise.

“Um, Tsukki? I’m gonna call you back. Ok, bye!” The dial tone sounds, and Kuroo’s face vanishes from his laptop screen, but Kei can’t bring himself to move for a long while.

 

* * *

 

“Kenma, how could you do this to me?”

Kenma sighs and puts his game down. Kuro always thinks he’s not being serious enough if he talks while playing his games, and he’s pretty much had it at this point and needs his childhood friend to listen. “You were lying…I didn't like that.”

Kuro flops his head onto the bed like the drama queen he is. “I don't know, Kenma. I mean they weren’t lies to start with. I honestly thought I liked those first few girls until I walked in on Bokuto and Akaashi. Man was that hot.”

“Please stop bringing that up.”

Kenma knows Kuro’s grinning into the bed. Even if he can’t see it. “I will when it stops being hot.”

Kenma lovingly kicks him in the head.

“Ow, ok geez!” Kuro finally sits up to look at him. “But really, it’s—I mean, every time I talk to him and he smiles at me? Like, _really_ smiles? I feel like I’m gonna _die._ It’s so stupidly adorable and I was scared I was just gonna blurt it all out, like, ‘oh my god you’re so perfect, please marry me and have snarky children with me` so I just, I dunno, had to say something else.”

Kenma decides not to remind Kuro that two men can’t have babies in favor of opening his arms. Kuro falls into them with practiced ease, butting his head up into Kenma’s hand so he’ll play with his hair. “You really put your foot in it.”

“Ughhhhhh,” Kuro articulates.

“But I think he likes you too, you know.”

Kuro looks up at him. “Really? Didn't you just say he was sleeping with that setter? Kageyama?”

“Mm, I did. But I think it’s more complicated than that.”

“Wow, that clears that up.”

“Shut up, it’s just what I’ve observed over the years.”

“You know…you’re always right about stuff like that…”

Kenma flushes slightly at the praise. “But these are feelings, not volleyball. It’s not the same.”

“You’re still always right.”

“Shut up, I am not.”

Kuro clutches at him, a slight shake in his hands Kenma’s seen only a few times before. “You are.”

It sounds so much like a prayer that Kenma can’t bring himself to contradict him.

_This time I hope he’s right._

 

* * *

 

 

Practice does not go well.

Kei knows it’s all him. He’s supposed to be the captain, but he’s a complete mess and it shows. He accidentally _thanks_ Hinata when his vice-captain hands him a water bottle and has to deal with Hinata asking Yamaguchi if Kei is _dying._

_I wish. Then I wouldn't have to be here right now._

Kageyama stops him outside the clubroom afterwards. “What’s up?”

“What.”

“What’s wrong with you, you were terrible today.”

Kei sighs in relief. “Yeah, that’s better.”

“ _Hah?”_

“Kageyama,” he’s about to tell him it’s fine, that it’s none of his business but…pathetic as it is, Kageyama understands him best right now.

“Kuroo-san is gay. He’s liked guys this whole time, and was just lying about all those stupid girls. So it’s just me that—” Kei stops himself before he does something truly terrible, like cry.

There’s a long moment of silence. Teammates shuffle around them, dashing into the clubroom to change and back out again. So suffice to say it’s a bit of a shock when Kageyama pulls him in for a kiss in full view of anyone passing by. It’s a very different silence now. Kei finds he doesn't much care if his teammates are staring and kisses back. _Maybe I’ve just ascended. I’m so close to whatever’s farthest from Nirvana that I’m out of fucks to give._

“Yeah, I’m gonna break up with you,” Kageyama says after breaking their kiss. He sounds like he’s decided on a milk flavor to go with lunch. This completely asinine way of responding to Kei’s moment of vulnerability has flung his self-pity far from his mind. Kei contemplates the existence of alternate realities.

“Wow,” Kei replies after a moment, “I can’t believe I’m getting dumped by Kageyama.”

“I can call you names if you want. Would that make it more clear?”

Kei appraises Kageyama. “Don't hurt yourself trying to be witty. And what’s this about, really?”

Kageyama sighs, as though Kei’s the idiot who needs things explained to him and not the other way around. “You should just talk to Kuroo-san. I don't really wanna wait around for you two get your shit together and then get dumped, so I’m beating you to it.”

Kei stares. “It’s not a competition.”

Kageyama scowls. _Ah, there he is._ “Hah? Of course it is, and I just won.”

“Ok, ok,” he sighs, “you win, consider me broken up with, or whatever.”

Kageyama nods and then leans in to kiss him again. Kei slips him some tongue just so he can hear the scandalized squawks of his lingering teammates. When they separate Kageyama walks away without another word, Hinata chasing after him as they head towards their classes.

“Oi, Kageyama, what the heck was that? We could see you, you know?”

“Dumbass, its no big deal. Besides, we broke up.”

“ _Huh!?_ When?”

“Just now, obviously.”

“You were just kissing, how was that obvious?! Stupid!”

“Dumbass, Hinata! Quit yelling about kissing…”

Their voices trail off and Kei is left leaning on the balcony outside the clubroom. The rest of the team doesn't stick around after that display, changing and heading for the main building.

Yamaguchi does take a moment to clap a hand on his shoulder. “You took that very well, Tsukki.”

Kei chuckles, watching Yamaguchi fighting off a matching grin. “Shut up. Go on ahead, I’ll be right there.”

“Sure, Tsukki.”

Kei waits until he is finally alone to pull out his phone. He pulls up his contacts and sends off a quick message before turning off his phone and following after Yamaguchi.

 

_To Kuroo Tetsurou (08:52): Let’s talk._

* * *

 

“Ah, hey, Tsukishima-kun.”

Kei thinks this might be the first time Kuroo has said his name. He hates it. And he hates this _stupid computer screen_ between them.

“So I hear you’re into guys.”

Kuroo snorts. “Uh, yeah. Actually I realized it cause I accidentally walked in on Bokuto going—”

“You are absolutely not allowed to finish that sentence.”

“ _Damn,_ Tsukki let me live.”

“I like you.”

Kuroo goes very still. Kei feels like he’s shaking apart but he has to get it out. Has to say it _once_ and then he can be a person again instead of someone stuck on pause, waiting for the ok to go forward.

“I like you, Kuroo-san. I’ve liked you since we met— _god_ I sound like such a sap right now.” Kei ignores the prickling behind his eyes and keeps going. “You just kept pushing my buttons and I wanted to hate it. I wanted to shut you out when you kept describing all those girls you were with, but—” a tear finally slips free from behind his lashes, but he blinks the rest of them back as hard as he can—“ to find out you were just fucking _lying_ to me? For what, fun? Is it just me that you don’t—”?

“No! _No,_ it wasn't fun. I wasn't trying to hurt you.” Kuroo’s got his hand pressed against his screen; the way Kei has always resisted doing. “Tsukki, I’m so damn sorry. I just felt like if I told you that I’m into guys it would be that much easier for me to blurt out how fucking _gone_ I am on you. _Damn it,_ please don't cry…”

“M’not.” Kei rubs at his eyes with the heel of his hand, haphazardly shoving his glasses up.

“I like you so much, Kei. Please forgive me.”

Kei splutters out a laugh. There’s nothing really funny about this, but the sheer relief is overwhelming. “God, we’re so pathetic.”

Kuroo rolls his eyes, but he’s wearing a small grin, something gentler than Kei’s ever seen from him. “We’re a couple of losers, that’s for sure. But we are a couple, yeah?”

Kei looks through the grainy screen at Kuroo. He thinks about the nonsense that they had to go through to get here, how much work he put in, for once. He thinks about how—in his own stupid way—his friend had encouraged him to be more honest.

He’s beaming and he can’t help it. “Yeah, we better be.”

Kuroo blushes. “Whoa.”

“What?”

“Ah, it’s nothing. I just love your smile.”

 

* * *

 

Kageyama joins him on the steps outside of the gym after practice one night nearly two months later.

“That’s a bad hickey.”

Kei snorts. “New cat. Can’t seem to train him.”

Kageyama bumps their shoulders together. “He figure out what a pervert you are yet?”

“He’ll learn soon enough.”

“Why’re you guys sitting so close to each other?” Kei and Kageyama look over their shoulders to find Hinata glaring at them.

“What’s it to you?” Kei asks coolly, familiar sneer slipping into place, “jealous?”

Hinata flushes and sputters. He and Yachi had broken up almost a month ago now, Yachi declaring too loudly something about Kiyoko-san moving back to the area. Most surprising about the whole thing was how _un_ surprised Hinata was.

Kei ignores him and leans in to Kageyama, whispering, “he’s gonna figure out what a pervert you are too, soon enough. Be a good boy for him, yeah?”

Kageyama blushes, glaring at him. Kei’s action has its intended effect though. Hinata scoots blatantly in between them, eyeing Kei with suspicion. He stands and turns to leave. “You’re welcome.”

“Oi, Tsukishima.”

Kei turns to look at Kageyama.

“Thanks.”

Kei rolls his eyes, ignoring that repulsive warm feeling of friendship he gets from talking to Kageyama sometimes. “Don't mention it.”

“Ok.”

“Seriously, please don’t.”

**Author's Note:**

> You made it to the end! Honestly I just set out wanting to write a hot KageTsuki PWP. HONESTLY. If you enjoyed this or have concrit please pleaaseee comment below or talk to me on tumblr @nechao


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